Dimitri Payet: West Ham reject Marseille's improved bid

Dimitri Payet has scored five goals so far this season

West Ham have rejected a second bid from Marseille for France forward Dimitri Payet.

The improved offer from the Ligue 1 side - reported to be £1m higher than an initial £19m bid - was turned down by Hammers chairman David Sullivan.

He is said to be taking a tough stance and refusing to be bullied into a quick sale, with the club having no financial need to sell.

Manager Slaven Bilic says Payet, 29, no longer wants to play for the club.

Payet is not training with the first team and will continue to work with the under-23s.

The Premier League club said they would prefer Payet to apologise to supporters and return to first-team training.

• Listen: 'It's not about the money'

Why does he want to leave?

French journalist Julien Laurens on 5 live's Monday Night Club

In 2011, when he was at Saint-Etienne, he wanted to go to Paris St-Germain, which was his dream move. He tried everything again to force them to sell him.

The club stood their ground - he had to go with the reserves, they fined him. In the end, he had to come back and he apologised and said: 'I have made a mistake, I'm young.' He is a very stubborn man and at the time it didn't work out for him, but he really believes this time it will happen for him.

Eighteen months ago Payet did not want to leave Marseille. They forced him to leave in a way, because they had to sell him to balance their books. He never really settled in England.

His family are not settled, the children are not happy at school, his wife is not happy. They all went back to France and are already looking at new schools there. The main issue for him has always been the family. They were not happy and that was impacting on him as a person and as a player.

Payet will take a cut out to go back to Marseille, it is not about the money. He is not going to China. Marseille have already reached an agreement to go back, now it is between the clubs.

Marseille's second offer is clearly way below what West Ham want, but at least they are opening the door. Three days ago they said they would never sell him, now they say they would sell him if they receive £30-35m pounds. I expect Marseille to go back with a better bid and still believe they will sell at some point.

Payet's decision 'disgusting'

Former Hammers striker Dean Ashton, who was forced to retire at the age of 26 through injury, said Payet's refusal to play was "disgusting".

"I can't play anymore and to see the way Payet is acting, I can't tell you how angry it makes me," Ashton, 33, told Talksport.

"West Ham love him, they absolutely adore him - they wouldn't dream to think he would go and do this. He is so many kids' favourite player.

"It is disgusting what he is doing in refusing to play."

Analysis - will West Ham sell their star man?

Payet, who signed from Marseille for £10.7m in June 2015, excelled in his first season with the London club, scoring 12 goals and earning a nomination for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award.

In February 2016 he signed a new contract running until the summer of 2021.

MOTD2 Extra pundit Alan Shearer says West Ham should hold out for the biggest transfer fee they can get for Payet.

"It is quite clear Dimitri Payet is refusing to play for the club," he said on Sunday's programme.

"You have to get as much as you can and sell him. The dressing room is far more important."

Mark Schwarzer, the former Chelsea, Fulham and Middlesbrough goalkeeper, added on the programme: "Payet is a commodity - you have to get as much money for him. Then they can bring in players to improve the team."